


Defiance

by KungFu_Slippers



Series: Umbara Aftermath [2]
Category: Star Wars, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anger, Angst, BAMF Ahsoka Tano, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Umbara Arc (Star Wars), Protective CT-7567 | Rex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:15:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29142822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KungFu_Slippers/pseuds/KungFu_Slippers
Summary: How would Ahsoka have responded to the betrayal on Umbara? I think she would have been royally pissed.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Series: Umbara Aftermath [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138967
Comments: 6
Kudos: 79





	Defiance

**Author's Note:**

> Oneshot

Anakin gave his Padawan a worried glance as she rushed into the council chamber, Rex at her side. To his credit, the captain was as stalwart as ever, coming to stand at attention with his bucket under his arm. Ahsoka was much less composed. Anakin could feel frustration coming off her in waves. “What is it, Masters?” She asked, her tone betraying her irritation.  
Mace Windu leaned forward, crossing his arms on his knees. “If you’ve finished debriefing your men, we need you and Skywalker to investigate the slave trade on Zygerria. The people of Kiros have disappeared, and we have reason to believe the Zygerrians are behind it.”

Ashoka’s mouth opened and shut. Anakin sent a waft of calm energy towards her, but she blocked it with a flash of anger, and it dispersed around them, impotent. “What about the 501st?” She stared at Windu.

“They will continue operations on Umbara under the command of Saesee Tiin, for the time being.” He stared right back.

There was a beat of silence.

“No,” said Ahsoka. 

If Mace had thought this was going to be a routine briefing, he was now fully disabused of that assumption. He brought his full presence to bear in the room, dark eyes swirling at the challenge. He opened his mouth to respond, but Ahsoka forged ahead, heedless.

“Our legion’s best battalion was nearly destroyed. Destroyed by another general. Someone we should have been able to trust. How can you take his betrayal so lightly?” Every sentence punched the silence like blaster fire.

“We do not take it lightly,” Mace snapped. He straightened up. “As unfortunate as events on Umbara were, the fact remains that you and Skywalker are best suited for the Zygerrian mission. You must let go of your feelings and do your duty.”

Ahsoka whirled around the room and her gaze met Plo Koon’s eyeless mask. “My duty? You ask me to do my duty! It is to the Jedi council, certainly, but when I accepted command of the 501st, I accepted a duty to my men, to lead and protect them. We have failed in that duty. It was our oversight, our carelessness, that caused this force-forsaken nightmare.” Her voice shook with anger, and Anakin’s cybernetic hand reached out toward her shoulder. Rex’s head snapped over to look at Ahsoka; suddenly he was thrust back to his conversation with Krell. 

Ahsoka stepped away from Anakin, and his hand fell clumsily at his side. She turned back to Windu. She jabbed a finger at him, raising her voice behind the outstretched digit. “ _Now _you want to send us on a humanitarian mission, when we are in the middle of a war?” Without giving him time to answer, she continued on. "And why, may I ask, was Anakin called away by the Chancellor?”_  
“You may not ask,” hissed Windu. _  
"I most certainly will. He was called away at a critical moment. They needed us on the ground, both of us! You ask us to be generals in this war, to lead our men, and now you want us to pretend we are still Peacekeepers?” Her words lashed them with fury. All eyes were fixed on the Togruta Padawan. Rex’s hand came up to steady her elbow, and Mace’s gaze followed the motion. Ahsoka did not shake Rex off like she had Anakin, but swiveled to face Yoda, who clutched his cane with narrowed eyes. “Keep your hypocrisy to yourself. Send someone else on your missions. I cannot be the Jedi you want me to be.”  
Yoda hummed, his eyes widened. Her anger spent, Ahsoka deflated. Rex's heart clenched at her words. He spread his fingers gently against her lower back, Mace Windu be damned. Ahsoka looked at Anakin then, but her voice was pitched for the room. "I will fight for the Republic. I will fight this war until I have nothing left to fight for. Do not ask me to abandon my men.” __

_____ _

_____ _

Anakin held her gaze. His jaw was set, his arms crossed. Rex recognized his frustrated posture. But he also saw something else; Anakin’s eyes shone, but not with anger. Pride was peeking out from under his fierce brows. Ahsoka did not wait for him to speak. She turned on her heel and marched out.

**Author's Note:**

> I felt that we needed more friction between our favorite Jedi and the council. This installment helps move the plot along towards the framing of Ahsoka and Anakin's eventual betrayal. I think there was more going on that we saw in the show. I also think Ahsoka's attachment to Rex and her men would have opened her up a little more to the dark side. This balance gave her the strength she needed to survive the Clone Wars and order 66. She was better able to manager her emotions than Anakin was, and it ended up being a strength instead of a downfall.
> 
> Apologies for extra italics at "You may not ask," hissed Windu. Can't fix it.


End file.
